8X loupes My Old and New, a few questions

[akfreak]

Ok I have been using an old 8x plastic loupe, it woks fairly well however I think it was designed to focus on the surface of an object.

I want to own a loupe that allows me to focus on the film plane (the inside of the Ground Glass) not the surface.

Anyways, I found an old Schneider 8X Lupe (isn't current manufacture) but it didn't come with any instructions. I was wondering if any of you guys have used or still use this loupe what are your thoughts?

It does extend

And retract


Here are a few questions, I would like to hear some input.
Is the ability to focus a loupe to the registering position where the film will be the most critical location of focus?

My thought is if I place my loupe on the smooth side of the glass, it is around 1.5mm farther away from the film, and thus out of focus (if ever so slightly)

I understand a how a diopter is to be a adjusted (to see the markings on the focus screen clearly or on a spot meter for example) I have also red lots of conflicting information about loupe's and just using 3.5x reading or magnifying glasses from the $ store.

Lastly I want to know more about exactly what my new 8x lupe is doing, as I said it came with no instructions, it is out of manufacture. The price tag was $200 bucks, I got it for penny's, ( a luck find) so you can imagine how excited I was to find it.

Does the Schneider 8X Lupe have the ability to adjust the focus to different depths? If it does, how do I know when I am at the proper depth? I turn the 8x lupe and get a sharper image on the GG but it also has a ton more of adjustment, I cant imagine an 3/4" to 1" of adjustment to focus on a ground glass or correct for bad eyes.



I tried to remove the lens board and point the GG at a flat white wall and adjust focus in the grain on the inside of the GG but not sure if this they way to do it.

I hope I dont sound a little dense. I am just looking for some clarification abut my specific loupe, ( a link to any instructions), conformation of proper registration of a loupe to a GG. Lastly, any thoughts on this loupe. Is it a good one or should I sell it and get the 3x readers.

I know Schneider is a maker of word class optics. However if this is in fact a great loupe why would they build those new silver plastic ones. This loupe is all metal with a nice red plastic lip that wont damage a GG. It really seems like a nice one. I just cant seem to find much info on it.


Thanks or your time in response, AKf

[Bob Salomon]

With any loupe with an adjustable eyepiec the instructions are the same.

Remove you camera's lens. Point the camera at a light source. Place the loupe against the gg of the camera and adjust the eyepiece until the grain of the gg is in sharp focus.

That's it. Put the lens back on the camera. Your loupe is now focused on the grain side of the gg and that will place it in the film plane.

8x is a bit strong for most photographers. Usually they use something between 4 and 6x for focusing.

[akfreak]

for the price I paid I will try it out. Thanks Bob

[Doremus Scudder]

Bob's your uncle, Bob has your answer.

Your loupe is just a magnifying device. It needs to be the right distance from the surface the image is focused on, which, of course, is the frosted side of the ground glass. Your eyes have less to do with setting this distance than the loupe and the thickness of your ground glass. If you use Bob's method, then you have no worries. Don't worry about apparent extra adjustment capability, it is for other applications or just easier to design that way.

Schneider loupes are among the best made. Don't sell it, use it.

FWIW, I use 3.5 or 4 diopter reading glasses for viewing and rough focusing and an 8x or 10x loupe for fine focusing. I would recommend both, unless your eyes are so that you can focus at 6-8 inches from the ground glass. Despite what Bob said about most LFrs liking 4x-6x loupes, I, and many others, prefer the higher power loupes.

Also keep in mind that even if your loupe is not exactly the right distance for the ground glass, sharpest is still sharpest, i.e., when you get the image to its sharpest, even if it is a little out of focus due to the loupe not being set correctly, that is the correct point of focus. You can be off a little and still focus just fine. I've used really cruddy loupes from time to time in a pinch with the only down side being that I can't enjoy that really sharp image on the ground glass. The negs were fine.

Hope this helps,

Doremus

[Roger Cole]

8x is a bit strong for most photographers. Usually they use something between 4 and 6x for focusing.

Dunno about "most" but I prefer 8x.

[DuncanD]

I use a 4x Rodenstock for very fine, distant objects such as trees on the skyline. But I prefer my 8x Mamiya Cabin loupe for all critical, close object focus.

[bikeamtn]

Greetings all; just dropped in as I Googled my way searching Schneider Loupe's (which I just got my hands on). My ears were burning, Rodenstock, Mamiya, Schneider; your talk‘in nice stuff. Took me 20yrs to finally get a Schneider.

Anyway; as said, the loupe lens ring is for diopter adjustment. Bob Salomon post explained a fine way to trim-in the focus and that would be precise. The gg is actually in-broad as it meets the film-plane, as you slide in the film holder the film now aligns where the gg was. Since the gg is thin, it is very near the film plan and most F: settings will take care of the rest.

Was nice to find this forum; it was in 75-84 that I’ve done any Lg-Format (4x5, 8x10) for magazine and fine-art, just got the loupe for 35mm as I’m now beginning the laborious process the digi-scanning all my film.

It’s so very nice to see that Lg-Format continues to live on. Tell me; have any converted to a digital pack? Just wondering, my work has taken me a little deep into technology. Up into maybe 2yrs ago, I was still shooting film for music concerts (slide film is nearly gone, Kodachrome is gone).

Any-who; been nice. You got one nice loupe there akfreak, there’s some nice reading on the history of Schneider and German glass foundries in general.

Best to all,

DavidM
SynapticReplay.com